Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's water polo team swept the competition Saturday as they earned wins over Caltech, Fresno Pacific and LA Valley College to move to 3-0 on the young season.
Game 1 (Caltech, W, 18-5)
The Poets got off to a slow start against the Beavers taking a 3-1 lead after the first eight minutes, but after that, the scoring surge began, as they rallied to add another five straight to go in front 8-1 before CIT would tack on two in the final two minutes that cut the deficit to five at the break.
In the second half, it was all Purple & Gold scoring at will showing why they are ranked No. 1 in the CWPA Div. III polls. WC blanked the Beavers in the third, while extending their lead to 12-3 before adding another six in the final frame en route to their first victory of 2015.
Marko Monic (Zagreb, Croatia) had his breakout game of his career scoring a team high six goals, with four coming in the fourth quarter.
Game 2 (Fresno Pacific, W, 13-11)
The second game for the Poets proved a little more tough as they took on Div. II Fresno Pacific. The Sunbirds found themselves in a hole early 3-0 as junior transfer Marino Fatovic (Dubrovnik, Croatia) would find the back of the goal twice.
FP managed to add two themselves to cut the deficit to one before Vuja connected with :21 seconds left to play in the first quarter.
Wedge Molthen (Buena Park, Calif.) and Massimiliano Mirarchi (Rome, Italy) added two quick tallies to start the second that extended the lead to 6-2 but three goals from the Sunbirds would again keep them in striking distance as they entered the half trailing 7-5.
In the third frame, Fresno Pacific struck first to pull within one 7-6. They would pull within one two more times in the quarter but Julian Droetti (Irvine, Calif.) and Mirarchi would give WC some breathing room at 11-8 entering the final period.
FPU made one final run adding three goals but two goals from Mirarchi and a late strike from Gavin Kerr (Palo Alto, Calif.) would seal the two goal victory for Whittier.
Game 3 (LA Valley College, W, 12-10)
In the nightcap, Whittier took on LA Valley College and got out of the gates quickly scoring four unanswered led by Fatovic but LA Valley would add the final two that cut the deficit in half after the first eight minutes.
In the second, the Monarchs would go on a run tacking on three that would put them in front for the first time putting the Poets in their first situation where they were trailing for the tournament. But the lead at 5-4 would soon be shortlived as the Poets would finish off the half with a 4-0 run of their own that gave them an 8-5 lead.
Out of the half, the momentum continued for WC as they would add another three goals from Fatovic, Mirarchi, and Eoghan Foley (Sterling, VA) that extended their lead to 11-5. The Monarchs would stop the run with two of their own that cut the lead to four and despire outscoring Whittier 3-1 in the final stanza, it wouldn't be enough as WC would hold on for the two goal victory.
Whittier returns to the pool this weekend as they take part in the Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 12-13 as they take on Div. I powerhouses USC (10:20am), UC Irvine (1:20pm), and UCLA (12:00pm), all of which are ranked inside of the National Top 10 before having a face-off with the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer (9:00am).
